A silver halide photographic light-sensitive material is usually processed using a color developer, a bleach, a bleach-fixer, a fixer and a stabilizer to obtain an imagewise image. The components of the processing solutions used herein are packaged in plastic bottles for easy use in the form of one or more concentrated solutions and are supplied as a processing solution kit to consumers. The consumers dilute the component solutions of the kit with water to prepare the processing solutions (as starter solutions or replenisher solutions) and use them.
Recently, in the photographic processing industry small-scaled developing store, so-called mini-labs, which process a photographic material using a small automatic processor, rapidly increased and the amount of the processing kits used also increased. The processing kit in concentrated solution form still requires much storage space. Further, the cost for transport is not low. The discarded plastic bottles increase year by year and should be recovered, however the recovering is difficult and therefore, development of a processing system in which waste plastics are reduced is demanded.
Powder photographic processing agents are considered in order to reduce storage space, transport cost and the amount of the plastic waste. However, the powder agents produce loose powder when it is dissolved in water, and operators breathe in loose powder particles, resulting in health hazard. Further, the present inventor has found that other photographic solutions may be contaminated with the components of the loose powder and there occurs the possibility of other trouble in developing process.
Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication Nos. 5-119454/1993, 5-119450/1991 and 5-142708/1993 discloses granulated solid processing composition.
However, these are tablets obtained by compression molding granules in which the moisture content and average particle size are controlled in a fluid bed granulating dryer. These tablets are effective in view of the content of a developing agent or prevention of insoluble matter occurrence, however, strength of granules are not sufficient and has a defect that fine powder occurs during transport. It has been found that fine powder occurs during storage at not less than 50.degree. C. in a ship and due to vibration in a car after storage.
Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication No. 5-224361/1993 discloses granules obtained in a dry granulator and tablets obtained by compression molding. The solid processing agent produced by this method is effective for a uniform mixture of components in small amounts, however, the granule strength is not sufficient, since water or an aqueous solution is not used as a binder and has a defect that fine powder occurs due to vibration after storage.
Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication No. 5-197090/1993 discloses tablets having a of 25 to 50% produced by compression molding granules obtained in a stirring granulator. The solid processing agent produced by this method is effective for prevention of insoluble matter occurrence and shortage of dissolving time and its strength is sufficient, however, the control of the grain size is difficult. It has been found that the granules have a defect that there occurs fluctuation of a supplying amount, since the granule size is not sieved and small or large granules are present in admixture.
Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication Nos. 2-109042/1990 and 4-221951/1992 disclose a solid processing agent obtained in a fluid bed granulating dryer which reduces dust occurrence. The solid processing agent produced by this method is effective for prevention of fine powder immediately after the manufacture and has a predetermined particle size, however, it has been fount that the granules have a defect that fine powder occurs due to vibration after storage, since the strength is not sufficient.